It was Hard Work but it was Worth It: ePortfolios in Teacher Education

Abstract

Student ePortfolios offer both advantages and challenges for teacher educators. The purpose of this case study is to identify benefits that make the effort worthwhile. Two groups of pre-service teachers—one undergraduate and one graduate—created complex ePortfolios under the direction of a non-technology faculty member. Faculty observations and student evaluations revealed ePortfolios enhance students’ educational technology learning, reflection, and collaboration. The author concludes creating ePortfolios was “worth it,” and she provides recommendations for making ePortfolios even more valuable for pre-service teachers, their programs, and the schools in which they will someday teach.